How to perform Pitra Tarpan on Mahalaya

Every year during Mahalaya, the beginning of Devi Paksha, marks the end of the 16 days of the Shradh. During the 16 days the men in the family pay respect(sraddha) to their ancestors. On the last day we have Sarva Pitru Amavasya. In this day we pay pay respect to our ancestors by offering Tarpan.

Who can offer Tarpan?
A son has to perform tarpan for his ancestors after 1 year has passed his fathers sraddha(death), but in case the son is not present or unable to offer due to any reason a widow can offer tarpan to her husband and his ancestors.

Whom to offer Tarpan?
Tarpan is performed for people who have passed away. Tarpan is mainly performed for Pitrutrayi(Trio of Fathers) as beyond the trio is considered to be liberated. Tarpan is performed by offering ganga jal and til to father(Pita), grand father(Pitamaha), great grand father(Propitamaha), mother. Tarpan may be also offered to grand mother, great grand mother and in the name of all ancestors who have not been liberated. It may be also offered in the name of those who souls who have no son and wife to perform their tarpan. It can also be offered to Sages and Gods as a daily ritual but here we will be learning about Tarpan for Pitrutrayi and mother.

Though there are many ways we can offer Tarpan, I will share a very simple and minimal process and ask for blessings of our ancestors.

To perform Tarpan, we will need the following items:
1. Water
2. Ganga Jal
3. Black Til (Black Sesame)
4. Unprocessed Cow milk
5. Kusha (Dry halfa grass)
6. Durba (Grass twigs)

In a vessel mix water, ganga jal, til and cow milk. You may also add chandan paste and rice but only til and ganga jal is important. The quantity should be enough so that you can provide each of your ancestors you want to offer 3 times. In another vessel keep some ganga jal only for purification.

Purification:
Sit facing South. Immerse a kusha in ganga jal and purify the place by sprinkling ganga jal with the kusha in the place, also on your head with the purification mantra.

Om vishnu om vishnu om vishnu 

om apavitrah pavitro vā
sarvāvasthāṁ gato api vā
yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
sa bahya abhyantaraṁ śuciḥ

namo śuciḥ namo śuciḥ namo śuciḥ
 

It means: Om, anyone pure or impure, under any conditions, is purified outwardly and inwardly by remembering pundarikaksha(another name for vishnu).

Ganesha:
Once the place is purified repeat Om Ganeshaye Namah 3 times and ask him mentally to help you complete the Tarpan successfully.

Invoke the spirits of your ancestors:
Repeating the mantra once ask your ancestors to come and offer them ganga jal.

 
Om Aagachchantu Me Pitar Emam Grihanantu Jalaanjalim.

If you have kosha kushi you can add durba, haritaki, tulsi, genda flower, ganga jal and drop it facing south.

Things to know:
For Brahmins who are having holy thread, there are 3 ways to wear it. Savya, Apasavya and Nivit. Savya is worn from the left shoulder and is worn when invoking gods, Apasavya from right while invoking ancestors and Nivit from the neck when invoking sages. Here we are invoking ancestors so we need to wear the holy thread from the right.

Tarpan for Father:
Tarpan to ancestors is done facing south. Hold a kusha in your hand perpendicularly to your fingers passing in between your thumb and hold it with the thumb so that it stays in place. Pour a spoon of the mix on your right and hand palm and repeat the mantra.

AmukGotrah AsmatPita AmukDevaSharma Vasuroopastripyatamidam Teelodakam Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah.

AmukGotrah: Replace with your Gotra, for example "Sandilya Gotrashya"
AmukDevaSharma: Replace with your Father's name, for example Prasanta Deva Sharmana

The complete mantra should be:
Sandilya Gotrashya AsmatPita Prasanta Deva Sharmana  Vasuroopastripyatamidam Teelodakam Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah.

After completion of the mantra slant your hand towards the right so that the tarpan mix flows out from between the thumb and the index finger. This is called Pitrutirtha.

Repeat the process 3 times.

Tarpan for Grand Father and Great Grand Father:
Replace AsmatPita with Asmatpitamah / Asmatpropitamah
Replace Vasuroopastripyatamidam with Rudraroopastripyatamidam (for grandfather only)
Replace AmukSharma with Grand Father’s Name

For example:

Sandilya Gotrashya AsmatPitamaha Gopal Chandra Deva Sharmana Rudraroopastripyatamidam Teelodakam Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah.

Repeat the process 3 times for each.

Sandilya Gotrashya AsmatPropitamaha Makhan lal Deva Sharmana Vasuroopastripyatamidam Teelodakam Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah.

Repeat the process 3 times.

Tarpan for Mother:
The mantra is
AmukGotraa Asmnamata AmukiDevi Gayatriroopa Tripyatamidam Teelodakam Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah, Tasmey Swadha Namah.
AmukGotraa: Your Gotra
AmukiDevi: Your mother's name followed by devi.

Repeat the process 3 times.

Most Important:
In case you are not comfortable with the Sanskrit mantras, you can say in your native language.
"I offer sesame and water for the happiness and liberation of my father <his name> tasmey swadha namah".

Here is a simple process explained in hindi:

Damara Tantra Slokas with English Translation (Part 1 - Drinking)

 Damara Tantra Slokas 1 to 43

Verse 1

Atha bakkhe maheshaani ! kriyaam siddhipradayani |

Patraani bihita niha shastrabiddhin prajatnatah ||

O Parvati! I shall expound to you the recommended actions and rituals of acquisition of supernatural powers (through Shivambu Kalpa). Those well versed in the scriptures have carefully specified certain vessels for the purpose.

Verse 2

Shouvarnang rajatang taatsmraang kaatatsyajangritijang tathaa |

Ayasang mrinmayang chaiba naaganang kaachsambhavam ||

Gold or Gold plated, Silver, Copper, Bronze, Brass, Iron, Clay, Ivory, Glass,

Verse 3

Vaishnavang Kaasthasambhootang billyajang chaamnusambhavam |

Asthijang charmajang chaiva paatrang ve parnasambhavam ||

Wood from sacred trees, Bones, Leather and Leaves are the materials recommended as a container.

Verse 4

Eshamannyatamey patredhaarayeccha shivambhukammam |

Uttamam mrinmayang paatrang taamrajang devi suttammam ||

The Shivambu (one's own urine) should be collected in a utensil made of any of these materials. Among them, clay utensils are better,  copper are by far the best.

Verse 5

Akkhar katunannashi saadhakang sramabarjitanm |

Shayita laghuvoorga raatrai bhoomishaayi jeetendriyam ||

The intending practitioner of the therapy should abjure salty or bitter foods, should not over-exert himself, should take a light meal in the evening, should sleep on the ground, and should control and master his senses.

Verse 6

Chaturjaam bashishthaayang raatrabutthaaya buddhimaan |

Mutroothsargang prakurbita praangmookhah paramaashaya ||

The sagacious practitioner should get up when three quarters of the night have elapsed, and should pass urine while facing the east.

Verse 7

Aadidhaarang paritajya charamaangchya tajyeda budha |

Madhyadhaarang praghihnyadejoitra beedhirutammam ||

The wise one should leave out the first and the last portions of the urine, and collect only the middle portion. This is considered the best procedure.

Verse 8

Yatha bhujanga deheshu mukhe pucche vishang bhavet |

Ebang shibamvu dhaarayang prakaarah prathita shive ||

Just as there is poison in the mouth and the tail of the serpent, O Parvati, it is even so in the case of the flow of Shivambu.

Verse 9

Shivambu chaamritang dibang jarrarogvinashaanam |

Tadadaaya mahaayogi kuryadevyai nijas dhanam ||

Shivambu (auto- urine) is heavenly nectar, which is capable of destroying senility and diseases. The practitioner of Yoga should take it before proceeding with his other rituals.

Verse 10

Mukhshuddhing vidhaayath krittvaa chaabashyakin kiryaam |

Pibesshivaambhu vimalang janmarogavinashanam ||

After cleansing the mouth, and performing the other essential morning functions, one should drink one's own clear urine, which is the annihilator diseases that come by birth.

Verse 11

Maasmatrya prayoogena nirmalavyamtaro bhavetam |

Maashadwaya vyashabbasaata paatabang chendriyadirshu ||

One who drinks Shivambu for the duration of a month will be purified of internal diseases. Drinking it for two months the senses shaper.

Verse 12

Maashatraya prayogena rogadukkhavinashakam |

Panchamaasavyaasataipi divyadrishtiranaatura ||

Drinking it for three months destroys all diseases and frees one from all troubles. By drinking it for five months, one acquires divine vision and complete freedom from all diseases.

Verse 13

Shashmasajjayate yogi mahabuddhim kreetagamam |

Saptamaasaprayogena jaayate balabattaram ||

Continuation of the practice for six months makes the practitioner highly intelligent and proficient in the scriptures, and if the duration is seven months, the practitioner acquires extraordinary strength.

Verse 14

Ashtamaasavyasabashaath swarnakaanti sthiraabhaveth |

Nabamaasa prayogenam kkhay-kuushta vinashanam ||

If the practice is continued for eight months, one acquires a permanent glow like that of gold, and if it is continued for nine months, one is freed from tuberculosis and leprosy.

Verse 15

Dashamaasa prayogenam jaayate tejasaang nidhim |

Ekadashvirebaatra maashvita sarbang nirmalam ||

Ten months of this practice makes one a veritable treasury of luster. Eleven months of it would purify all the organs of the body.

Verse 16

Jaayate maanvo varshaprayogenakarsatnivam |

Varshaswayena jaayate pritivitwattvasanjayi ||

A man who has continued the practice for a year becomes the equal of the sun in radiance. He who has continued for two years conquers the 5 earthly senses.

Verse 17

Varshatrayena jaayate apa twattvajayakrida bhavet |

Chatuvarshavyasata syata tejastwattvajayee dhruvam ||

If the practice is continued for three years, one conquers the element of water, and if it is continued for four years, the fire element is also conquered.

Verse 18

Panchavarsha vysatascha yogi vaayujayee bhaveth |

Saptavarsha prayogena ahankaarjayee bhaveth ||

He who continues the practice for five years conquers the element Air, and he who continues it for seven years conquers pride.

Verse 19

Ashta varsha prayogena mahatattvajayee bhaveth |

Nava varsha vyashatwaying janmatwayee  bibarjitam ||

Continuation of the practice for eight years enables one to conquer all the important elements of Nature, and continuation of it for nine years frees one from the cycle of birth and death.

Verse 20

Dasha varsha proyogena khechar sramabarjitam |

Tatha chaikadashe varshe srinotyavyangtarang tatah ||

One who has continued the practice for ten years never gets fatigue and can fly through the. One who has continued it for eleven years is able to hear the voice of his soul (higher self).

Verse 21

Dwadashaabda prayogena jaavedachandrataarakam |

Vyadhattye naiva sharpadaivishadwairna bihingsvate |

N dwahhataiglina kkapi kaastabang twarate jalam ||

He who has continued the practice for twelve years will live so long as the moon and the stars last. He is not troubled by dangerous animals such as snakes, and no poisons can kill him. He cannot be consumed by fire, and can float on water just like wood.

Verse 22 - 23 - 24

Anang devi ! prakaarang te bakshyaami srinu jatnattva |

Shibamvu misrita churnang guduchya bhakshyennarah ||

Evam shasmasvato rogaivimuktah prapluyatah sukham |

Haritaki bhavath churnang bhakshayettah, prayogatah ||

Shivambu panakam kurjajjwararogah vinashanam |

Ekvarshavyasavashatha jaayate balabbatarah ||

O Goddess! I shall tell you now about other variants of the therapy. Please listen attentively. He who takes powdered amrita (gaduchi, Tinospora Condifolia) mixed with Auto-Urine habitually for six months, is freed from all disorders, and acquires happiness. Powdered haritaki (harade, Terminalia Chebula) should be assiduously taken with Shivambu. This combination destroys senile degeneration and all diseases. If this practice is continued for a year, it makes one exceptionally strong.

Verse 25

Gandhakang mashamatrang tu pratahkaalecha bhakshayeth |

Avam varsha trayavyasaat jivedachandrataarakam |

Tassya mootra purishavyaam shukla bhavati kanchanam ||

One masha (about one gramme) of sulpher be taken along with Shivambu every morning. He who continues the practice for three years will live as long as the moon and the stars last. His urine and feces will whiten gold.

Verse 26

Koshtam shivambu militang bhakshayeta kramayogatah |

Bwadashaabda prayogena balipalitabarjitah |

Naagayutvai samabalo jivedachandrataarakam ||

The powder of the Koshtha fruit(wood apple) should be mixed properly with Shivambu and taken in the prescribed manner. If this practice is continued for twelve years, one's body will be free from the ravages of old age such as wrinkles on the skin, and whitening of the hair. One acquires the strength of a thousand elephants, and lives as long as the moon and the stars continue to exist.

Verse 27

Marcham trifalachurnam misritang cha shibamvuna |

Etadayog prayogena jaayatayeeppamara dviting ||

If powdered pepper and Triphala Choorna (mixed powder of Terminalia Belavica, Terminalia Chebul and Phylonthus Embica) mixed with Shivambu are taken regularly, one acquired a radiance like that of the gods.

Verse 28 - 29

Gandhakam chaavrasattvena misritam kramayogaatah |

Bhakshayedambu maatram jah sahiten shibamvunaa ||

Naashayeda oudaraan roogam tatha vaayusamuda vhavaanah |

Balavaan dwaivakaantischa dwirghaayuh kaalabanchakah ||

The essence (bhasma) of mica(avra) and sulpher(gandhak) should be taken with Shivambu along with a little water. This cures al disorders caused by malfunctioning of the digestive system and all disorders in Vata Humor (Prana , Udana, Vyana, Samana, Apana). He who takes such a mixture regularly become strong, acquires a divine radiance, and can cheat time (escape the ravages of time).

Verse 30

Shibamvubhakkhanam yastu nitam kuvarna dinay dinay |

Aksharamlyakatunyatisha siddhim sighramicchyati ||

He who takes Shivambu daily and excluded salty, sour and bitter food from his diet acquires divine accomplishments quickly.

Verse 31

Sarvopodrav nimuktah sadaashiv bapoordharam |

Brambhaand golaake kriranah devabanamodete chiram ||

Freed from all ailments, and possessing a body comparable to that of Shiva Himself, he disports himself like the gods in the Universe for an eternity.

Verse 32

Nimbasva patrajarasam cha shibamvu na |

Yah sevaate yogyukto bhavedamropamah ||

He who regularly takes the juice of leaves of the neem tree by itself as well as mixed with Shivambu, attains the state of a yogi, and acquires splendour comparable to that of the gods.

Verse 33

Nimbatangmisritam churnam vidarikandasam bhavamu |

Aabarjasevenojjam tu kaayedosham stajeta twatah ||

Anyone can rid himself of all physical ailments by taking Shivambu regularly with the powdered bark of the neem tree and powdered pumpkin for the duration of a year.

Verse 34

Padwabeejam samakshikam sarshapena samaddhitam |

Shibamvu bhakshayena nam jaayate dehalaghabham ||

Shivambu should be taken with lotus seeds, honey and mustard seeds. This will assuredly produce lightness of the body, rendering it energetic.

Verse 35

Madhukfalbeejam cha trifalaasamavaagata |

Bhakshayedarshanidang tena jaraarogakkhayo tabeth ||

Equal quantities of Mahua fruit seeds and Triphala Choorna (mixed powder of Terminalia Belavica, Terminalia Chebul and Phylonthus Embica) taken daily with Shivambu will eliminate the possibility of senile degeneration and all diseases.

Verse 36

Khoudrang sa-shyandhaba praatakshyet samabhaagata |

Paschashibamvhusatpaayi bhaveth dwaibashareer taaka ||

He who takes rock salt mixed with an equal quality of honey every morning, and follows it up with Shivambu comes to possess a body with divine attribute.

Verse 37

Gandhakang dhaatrichurcascha jaatifal samasvitam |

Aadau gandha tatah peyang shibamvurooga vinaashkritam ||

A mixture of equal parts of sulphur, powdered amla (Phylonthus Emblica) fruits and powdered nutmeg (Myristica Beddomci) should first be taken, and that should be followed by drink of Shivambu. This will eliminate all diseases.

Verse 38

Payobhakkhah saptavarsham nityam paanam shivambhunam |

Karooti satatang rognashanam balitoostikritam ||

A daily diet of milk accompanied by the drinking of Shivambu, continued uninterruptedly for seven years not only eliminates all diseases, but also nourishes  and straight in the body.

Verse 39

Karotyashanakam yastu choornam shyamritakasya cha |

Paschashibamvu paanam cha kuvarna mrityut jayeth dhruvam ||

And he who takes the powdered amritaka, (drakkha, bilva, amra - vachhnag, Tinospora condifolia) following it up with drinking of Shivambu can certainly conquer death.

Verse 40

Madhusharkayopetam pavetha jascha shibamvukam |

Masha sashta kavashenaayam roogamuktam subaakshiraha ||

And he who drinks he’s own urine to which honey and Crystal sugar have been added is relieved of all diseases in six months. His speech becomes pleasing and he becomes clear-headed.

Verse 41

Kritasnaam shungthishutam chaapi choornitam yastu bhakshayeth |

Paschashibamvu paaniyam roogat jayati shushfootam ||

He who first takes piece or powder of dry ginger, and drinks Shivambu after that, certainly conquers diseases.

Verse 42

Prahtaam shibamvu paanenam niguripatra tatshanaat |

Jaayate balabaanayogi dirghadrishtim kritarthakam ||

By drinking Shivambu every morning and chewing leaves of Nirgundi(Viter Nirgundo) after drinking a Yogi attains strength, becomes far-sighted and succeeds in all his undertakings.

Verse 43

Manah shiilah yatna yogi choornitaantu shibamvuke |

Bilepanaadaroogah saadange Krishna shiroroogah ||

The Yogi who applies a paste of Mansheel ground with Shivambu all over his body frees himself from diseases and he’s hair becomes black (i.e. in spite of age).

Shivbamvu Kalpa Bidhi - Auto Urine Theraphy

URINE DRINKING

You’d probably have to be mighty thirsty to drink your own urine, but millions of people do it every day. Recent research shows it might not be such a crazy idea - and this research could lead us to the “jet lag” pill.
People have been drinking their own urine for thousands of years. A few Prime Ministers of India, Morarji Desai and Mahatma Ghandi, did it every day. According to Paul Keating, Queen Beatrice of The Netherlands actually drank a glass of pig urine on Dutch TV, to “prove” that Dutch pork was of the highest standard.
Some supporters of urine-drinking claim that it is mentioned in the Bible. Proverbs 5: 15 says “Drink thy waters of thine own cistern” , while John 7: 38 says “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters”.
However, some old Indian documents are very definite about the benefits of drinking your own urine.
The ancient yogic text, “Damara Tantra”, refers to a technique called “shivambu kalpa vidhi”, which means literally “urine revitalising technique”. In this text it says “a sensible man gets up early in the morning when three quarters of the night has passed (about 3 or 4 AM), faces east and passes urine. The initial and concluding flow of urine is to be discarded. The intermediate flow is to be consumed. This is the most suitable method”. In other words, drink your own mid-stream urine, very early in the morning. They called this habit “amaroli” - and it was supposed to help them meditate.
But other people claimed medical benefits from urine. As recently as 1863, the habit of injecting urine was mentioned in a book called “The Physiological Memoirs of Surgeon-General Hammond, U.S. Army”. He recommended using a hypodermic needle and syringe.
Today in alternative medicine, the healing use of urine is called “uropathy”. It is claimed to cure everything from cancer to AIDS. It’s used in every form imaginable. Patients are supposed to drink it, squirt it into various body orifices to use it as an enema or a gargle or a douche, dribble it into their eyes and ears as drops,. If they’re a little shy, they can start off with just sniffing urine. Certainly many athletes claim that washing your feet with urine heals blisters very rapidly.
Normally, your body makes about 1 ml of urine per minute - about a small glassful every hour. Urine is about 95% water and about 5% solids. These solids include vitamins, proteins, enzymes, salts, uric acid, prostaglandins, and a recently-discovered hormone called melatonin.
Melatonin is the probably the reason the ancient yogis drank their own urine. Melatonin is made by the pineal gland, which the French philosopher and mathematician Descartes called “the seat of the soul”.
As a drug, melatonin has a wide range of effects. If you eat it or drink it or sniff it, you can get everything from mild sedation, pain relief, sleep, a feeling of “emotional balance”, increased visual imagery, and feelings of elation right up to an alteration in your ability to estimate time. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland only when your eyes are shut. In your blood, the levels of melatonin peaks around 2 AM, but there are significant quantities made between midnight and 6 AM.
It turns out that beta blockers, a drug commonly given for high blood pressure, prevent this night time release of melatonin. This might explain why beta blockers sometimes cause nightmares.
Now the yogic ritual is to get up at 4 AM, drink your own urine and then meditate. Any urine made after 2 AM is loaded with melatonin, and this melatonin might relieve some of the physical pain of sitting motionless and cross-legged for two hours. It would certainly make your meditation easier if you also had increased visual imagery, and feelings of elation. Also the melatonin helps to reset your body clock, and it fools your body into thinking that it has had enough sleep. In fact, scientists are looking at using melatonin as a pill to protect you against jet lag, by re-setting your body clock.
The yogic texts also say that the urine of children is superior to that of adults. The pineal gland in children produces more melatonin, and this is why children sleep longer than adults. The urine of children has much more melatonin than the urine of adults. The extra melatonin would help the meditation.
The yogic texts also say that you should drink your own urine every day for over a month before you get the full effect. Studies have shown that you need to take melatonin for about a month to lock in your sleep cycles.
So the ancient yogic texts were right. A glass of urine a day could keep the stress away. Drinking your own urine could be very handy if you have a big project coming up, and need to burn the candle at both ends. If urine becomes really valuable, maybe recycled lemonade will cost more than fresh lemonade.

PINEAL GLAND - BIOLOGICAL CLOCK

The pineal gland is a small white gland buried nearly in the centre of the brain. It is shaped like a tiny pinecone, is about 8 mm long, and weighs about the same as a house spider - about one tenth of a gram.
Parts of the pineal gland turn to calcium quite early in life. Doctors who see this calcium on X-rays have long called it “brain sand”. They found it useful as a marker of the mid-line on X-rays of the skull. Brain sand is found in 30% of people aged 10-20 years, and in 80% of people over 30 years old.
During the day, the pineal gland turns tryptophan into serotonin. At night, it converts the serotonin into melatonin - the chemical that helped the early yogis meditate. So the pineal gland turns information about light (and how many hours of light there are each day) into the hormone, melatonin
The pineal gland is quite small in animals that live near the Equator - where the days are always 12 hours long, and the timing for breeding is not so critical. But near the North and South Poles, the timing is more critical, and the pineal gland is larger. In the newborn elephant seal, the pineal gland takes up 50% of the brain weight!

THE HISTORY OF THE PINEAL GLAND

Practically all animals with backbones over the last 500 million years have had a pineal gland. The pineal gland feeds information about the length of the day and the season to the “master clock” elsewhere in the brain.
In the tuatara, the primitive New Zealand lizard, the pineal gland sits just beneath the skin on the skull. In some lizards the pineal gland is exposed to daylight through a clear window on the back of its head. Perhaps the pineal gland is the famous “third eye” of the mystical East.
Herophilus, in the fourth century BC, claimed that the pineal gland was a “valve” that regulated the flow of thought out of little storage bins in the brain.
René Descartes, around 1640, believed that the rational soul lived in the pineal gland. He claimed that information about events in the real world entered the eyes, and then passed by “strings” in the brain to the pineal gland . The pineal gland reacted by sending “humours” down hollow tubes to various muscles of the body . He was very close to the truth.
In 1918, a Swedish anatomist, Nils Holmgren, found that some cells in the pineal gland of the frog and the dogfish were surprisingly similar to the light-detecting cells in the retina.
In 1958, melatonin was isolated by Lerner and his colleagues at Yale University. The chemists took 4 years to extract the melatonin from the collected pineal glands of 200,000 cattle.

MELATONIN - THE DRACULA HORMONE

Scientists call melatonin “The Dracula Hormone” because the blood levels are much higher at night. They also call it “The Hormone of Darkness” for the same reason, and also because we know so little about it.
Daytime blood levels of melatonin (in people of all ages) are 17-43 pmol/l. Nighttime levels depend on your age. They are around 1080 pmol/l in children aged 1-3 years, 520 pmol/l in children and adolescents 8-15 years old, and they gradually drop until they reach levels of about 86 pmol/l in adults aged 50-70 years.
Melatonin production is completely switched off by very bright light (about 2,500 lux). Typical indoor lighting is around 250-500 lux. Outdoor brightness ranges from 10,000 lux (cloudy day in northern Europe) to 80,000 lux (sunny day near the Equator).

JET LAG AND MELATONIN

“Jet lag” is the disruption of your internal body clock. You want your breakfast porridge when everybody else wants dinner. About 15% of travellers never get jet lag, 15% will be bed-ridden by it, while 70% can get by, but don’t feel great. You need about one day to reset your clock from the shock of crossing one time zone. So it will take you 12 days to recover from flying halfway around the world over 12 time zones.
The standard advice depends on which way you are flying. If you are heading EAST over six or fewer time zones, expose yourself beforehand to natural morning light for about 3-4 hours. But if you’re planning to cover more than six time zones, avoid the morning light and get the midday light. If you are heading WEST over six or fewer time zones, expose yourself to natural afternoon light for about 3-4 hours. But if you’re planning to cover more than six time zones, avoid the afternoon light and get the midday light.
But this could all change when the melatonin pill becomes available. If you take melatonin in the morning, it delays your body clock. If you take melatonin in the afternoon or early evening, it advances your body clock. So adjusting for jet lag could be as easy as taking a pill at the right time!

URINE - CLEANER THAN SALIVA?

Most people think that urine is full of germs. They’re wrong - urine has fewer germs than your mouth, or the water you get out of a tap.
Normally, urine is “sterile”. This medical jargon means that there are no significant numbers of bacteria. If you were to take a few millilitres of urine, and add some germ-free food-for-bacteria, no bacteria would grow. But if you were unlucky to have a Urinary Tract Infection, then there would be bacteria in your urine. These bacteria would grow in the presence of bacteria-food. A microbiologist could recognise these bacteria, and test to find which antibiotics would kill them. Then your doctor would prescribe the most appropriate antibiotic.
So while your urine might not seem very delicious or tasty to drink, at least it has fewer bacteria than your own saliva.

URINE-DRINKING IN TAIWAN

About 200,000 Taiwanese drink their own urine every morning. This movement began when Chen Ching-chuan met an old war friend, after 14 years separation. To his surprise, his old friend had not aged. His friend said he had been drinking his own urine - so Mr. Chen followed his example.
Mr. Chen ran into trouble with the local police, when he recently had to apply for a new identification card. He looked 44 years old, not 64 - but luckily, a friend gave the needed identification. The urine-drinking movement is now so popular that it even runs a Urine Therapy Hot Line.

REFERENCES:

“The Pineal Gland” by Richard J. Wurtman and Julius Axelrod, Scientific American, July 1965, pp 50-60

“Melatonin Supplementation from Early Morning Auto-Urine Drinking”, by M. H. Mills and T. A. Faunce, Medical Hypotheses (1991) 36, pp 195-199

“A Glass of Urine a Day keeps the Stress Away” by Gail Vines, New Scientist, No. 1810, 29 February 1992, p.14

Melatonin - the Hormone of Darkness” by Robert D. Utiger, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol 327, No 19, 5 November 1992, pp 1377-1379